Irwin video may be made public

Herald Sun ^ | 5 September 2006

[Aussie Dasher]

STEVE Irwin's grieving wife Terri will have the final say on whether footage of his last moments alive is made public.

The head of the US TV company that broadcasts his show said today the film had already been handed to Queensland police preparing a report for the Coroner as fans worldwide come to grips with the freak death.

Billy Campbell, the president of Discovery Networks, which owns the Animal Planet channel, said it was far too early to decide what footage viewers would see from Irwin's fatal trip on the Great Barrier Reef.

Talks would take place with Terri at a suitable time, he said.

"It's still too early," Mr Campbell said. "We'll have to take a look at it."

Irwin suffered a deadly blow from a stingray yesterday while shooting footage for a new show he was doing with his eight-year-old daughter, Bindi.

Mr Campbell, who will fly to Australia for Irwin's funeral, said he would also ask Terri whether she would like Bindi's show to go ahead.

"In terms of the Bindi show, a lot of that will depend on the conversations I have with Terri in a couple of days," he said.

"I want to give her a few days to mourn and think through things. "We'll talk about that in due time.

[vetvetdoug]

Crikey! is already a part of my vernacular. When I say it again, and I know I will, I am going to remember his enthusiasm when something was discovered or unique was seen. Irwin will forever be embedded in many of our memories with a positive light. It won't matter if I see his tragic ending or not, I choose to remember him otherwise.

[zeaal]

I suspect it will turn up on youtube in no time at all.

[CindyDawg]

Whatever his wife wants.

[Gabz]

Wow, a few days. That is pretty thoughtful of the guy.

He was talking about the program they were working on with Irwin's daughter, not the release of the video of what happened.

[ShandaLear]

I think it will end up on the Internet, regardless. I am not one to want to look into something so intimate to a person as their own death. I know what happened, I don't need to see it.

[stm]

How long before someone makes a movie about it. Death of the Croc Hunter...

[South40]

If Terri approves its release she'll ultimately be accused of doing so for profit; my guess is she won't let that happen.

[taxed2death]

I see no compelling reason to see footage after the man was struck down. Perhaps just some footage of him before he went diving....but other than that I think it would be in extremely bad taste to see him suffering.

[proudofthesouth]

I don't care to see it. It's not the way I want to remember him. If it is shown on TV I will change the channel.

[A CA Guy]

That would be classless as all hell.

Let the man have his dignity in death.

[mom4kittys]

It seems he had a regular tight knit film crew that loved him. I don't think it would get out very easily, unless the police mishandle it.

[mware]

I just watched a video from Fox News regarding Steve's death. According to the person they spoke to from Australia he was in very shallow water when it occurred. The person in the water with him said he saw some blood in the water and got him into the dingy and back to the main boat very quickly. Apparently the doctor on board tried CPR but it sounds like it was a catastrophic injury.

[Guenevere]

Why would I want to see it?

He gave a lot of folks exciting, fun filled TV....

Why would we want to see him die?

[MAexile]

I'm surprised it's not already on the Internet somewhere.

[Rome2000]

I won't watch a film of a mooselimb cutting off a guys head because Im afraid if what I might do to the next mooselimb I see.

I see rays all the time in Bimini, give them a wide berth but wasn't concerned about them, now have to start thinking about maybe blasting with a bang stick if one gets too close.

[mom4kittys]

If Terri handles this it could be done with dignity. I think Steve would have wanted it done.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Sounds too much like a snuff film to me.

[Rte66]

I have no desire to see it, but didn't he say it himself, that he would want it on film if he were killed by one of the animals he was working with?

Terri may let him have the last word on that.

[melt]

If I were his wife, I'd destroy the tape.

[llevrok]

I look at a question of obtaining data like the filmed death as, "will it make me more knowlegable or enhance my life?"

I don't know about others but my watching this would only be prurient. That is not enough reason for me to see it.